Electric row-crop thinning machine



March 24, 1953 N. MGCREIGHT ET AL 2,632,285

ELECTRIC ROW-CROP THINNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24. 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 y John JflMcCreighZ (Mimi:

HTTYS March 24, 1953 N. M CREIGHT ET AL 2,632,235

ELECTRIC ROW-CROP THINNING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24. 1948 2 SHEETSSHF.ET 2

IN V EN TORS y John JLM'cCfeighi M wi:

Mal LMcCreigbf Patented Mar. 24 1953 ELECTRIC ROW-CROP THINNING MACHINE Noal L. McCreight and John H. McCreight, San Jose, Calif., assignors of one-third to Cortes Valentine Application September 24, 1948, Serial No. 50,904

11 Claims.

This invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel method and machine for blocking out young plants at spaced, predetermined points along a crop row whereby to permit of full growth of the remaining plants; the destruction of the plants to be blocked being accomplished by subjecting the same to high voltage electrical energy.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plant blocking machine, for electrical blocking of'rcw crops, as above, which includes a novel plant-contact assembly for subjecting the plants in a row to the electrical energy only at said predetermined spaced points; such contact assembly including plant engaging contact drums or rollers of unique design and function.

A further object of the invention'is to provide a machine, as in the preceding paragraph, which includes an electric circuit which is especially effective for the purpose; such circuit including, in connection with each of the sides or leads of the circuit, at least one of said rollers, and the latter being spaced apart a substantial distance in the direction of travel, for completion of the circuitby ground-therebetween and without possibility of arcing between said rollers.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine, for electrical blocking of row crops, which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture, and long life with a minimum of service or maintenance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliable method and machine for blocking row crops, and 'one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the contact rollers.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation, partly in section, of one of the contact rollers, detached.

Fig. 4 is a diagram of the electrical circuit which the machine preferably employs.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly broken away, of a modified form of contact roller.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, and at present to Figs. 1-4, exclusive, the machine com- .prises a vehicle, indicated generally at l, which is here of trailer type and includes a hitch 2 for connection to a motor vehicle.

The vehicle I is supported, on opposite sides, by rubber-tired wheels 3, and includes cross beams 4 ahead, and to the rear, of said wheels; said cross beams being insulated from the remainder of the vehicle by insulation blocks 5.

A body 5 is included in the vehicle I and houses a motor driven generator and a transformer, shown diagrammatically at l and 8',- respectively, in Fig. l. 1

Each of the cross beams 4 is fitted, at the rear thereof, with a transverse mounting bar 9, and one or more plant engaging contact drums or rollers, indicated generally at l0, trail each mounting bar 9. If there are more than one of the rollers Hi trailing either of the mounting bars 9, such rollers are in transversely spaced relation.

The rollers 10 are connected in draft relation to the transverse mounting bars 9 as follows:

A draft tongue ll projects forwardly from each roller at a slight upward incline, and such draft tongue ll includes a fork 12 at itsrear end, which straddles the corresponding roller I0 and is connected to the axle I3 thereof in draft relation to said roller. At its forward end each draft tongue I! is coupled, by a swivel hitch 14, to the transverse mounting bar 9.

The rollers it are each of identical construction and therefore a description of one will suffice for all.

Each plant engaging contact roller l0 .comprises a pair of axially spaced, dielectric side discs 55 fixed on a cross shaft It by hubs ll; said discs i 5 being fittedperipherallywi th annular rubber bands or tires [8, whereby to prevent undue wear on the discs l5.

A plurality of metallic cross rods i9 extend between, and are secured in connection with, the side discs l5 radially inwardly a short distance from the tires l8 and substantially equally spaced from the cross shaft It. The cross rods is are in circumferentially spaced sets 20; the spacing between such sets being predetermined, and the rods in each set being in adjacent but spaced-apart relation.

Axial separation of the side discs I5 is prevented by transverse tie bars 2| which connect therebetween inwardly of the sets 20 of cross rods !9. 7

Each set 20 of cross rods I9 is connected by a branched lead 22 with a metallic connection collar 23 affixed on the cross shaft I6 between the side discs I5. I

Outwardly of one side disc I of each roller l0 there is a contact ring 24 afiixed to the cross shaft l6, and a wiper blade 25 runs on said contact ring.

The circuit for the machine is illustrated in Fig. 4. As previously indicated, the motor generator I and transformer 8 are mounted within the body 6'; such sgenerator'being *connectedlby leads '26 with the "input of the transformer-"8,

while the output of such transformer is connected to leads 21. The leads 2'! are omitted from all figures except Rigel, for the purpose of clarity.

One of the leads 2'! connects to "the :wiper blade of a roller I!) (or rollers) trailing "-the 1'5 front bar 9, while the other lead 2'! connects to the wiper blade 25 of arroller .-l9-.(or:rollers) trailing the rear bar 9. The circuit comprised of leads Z1, and the longitudinally spaced-apart rollers It], can thus bewompleted only through 20 gthe-zground thetween :said rrollers, ;and;as=1they are a substantialiilistancmapartfiarcingbetween .eisaidrrollers :cannot .ro'ccur.

.The -machine functions as follows ".to zaccomaplishaefiective row :crop blocking:

The vehicle fis r'advanced along :crop :rows

. :with fthe :ro'llers .IO ".eac'h :running atop a rrow iwherein relatively small or .young plants :exist zin :closely planted: relation.

vehicle l moves :forwardly the --sets :20

of cross rods I9 successively engage jplants in ":the rcorre'sponding IlZUW a't :predetermined spaced 'points. .Thet sets 12!! :of :cross "rods [9 Jars-charged 'iwith zveryazhigh voitage :electrical energy "from ftheitran'sfornrer fli'throughthe"described icircuit- Ihe fron't and :rear rollers 'Hlarein'such'relative rotati-ve positionsthat auponcadvance. of :the vehicle I corresponding sets 28 of :cross rods ii'a'comer into 'a -plant Iblocking position at the same time.

.In'Fig. '5 there' is illustrated 'amodifiedtype wrif *the :plant engaging contact roller. In :this

embodiment the roller, indicated generally at 28, is of all metal 'construction;including metal- -lic side discs 29, ahd a continuous periph'ery 3B.

l he'cross shaft 3lof the roller 2.8;whichserves asthe mounting element; carries beyondone: side disc '29 a contact ring 32 'in the .nature of a commu'tator. This contact ring $32 includes, at circumferentially-but'evenlyspaced points, a'plurality of inserted dielectric segments 33. The wiper :blade which runs on the contact ring 32 is indicated at 34. ':In this embodiment, "with trotation of the xrolleri'28, the electrical charge ",Of'ithfi iroller 23 .is interrupted, each time that athe wiper blade i'i-lkridesza dielectric segment 133, thus accomplishing the desired blocking :only .at

predetermmedzspacedipoints in agcropmow. It

ihas :Joeen :found iby experimentation that with a zrelativelylightjroller (28 the periphery '30 may be continuous and run over all .of .thegplants without damage to those which are to remain for growth.

The invention provides a machine, and a method, operative to accomplish effective and rapid automatic or non-manual blocking of plants in row crops; the blocked plants, after their electrical destruction, remaining along the .row to provide'lhumus.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the .inventionasset .forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail :the-present and preferred construction of the :device, still practice such deviations from such detail "may be resorted to as do not form nasdeparture irom .the spirit of the invention,

as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed asnew and useful, and upon which.Letters.Patent-rarecdesired:

. l. ..A row crop iblocking .machine comprisinga vehicle adapted to :rnove along a crop row, a source of :high electrical energy -atuthe vehicle, a plant engaging and. contactrollertrailingirom a part of the vehicle and running on the .crop row, the rollerincluding circumferentiallyspaced contact elements which -.thus engage plants in "the row only "at predetermined longitudinally spaced points, *and circuit -rnearrs between said source and elements charging the latter with :said high electrical'energy.

2. A row crop blocking machine comprising a vehicle adapted to move along a crop' row,-a source of high electrical energy .at thewehicle, a

plant engaging and "contact :roller trailing [from- :ferentially spaced cross :rods "extending :between said end discs.

3. A machine, as in claim 2, in whichthe end discs are dielectric; said circuit means including electric connections *between :the rods and 'shaft.

;4. .A machine, asin .claim 3, in which :said circuit :means ;.includes -a .wiper .lolade'and ring unit on the shaft beycn'dronexendiof thetroller. A row .crop hlocking1mac-hine .:comprising a vehicle: adapted to-move along a 'crop-.row,='a. source :of Lhigh :electrical energy at :the "vehicle, a :plant engaging and contact .rollertrailing from apart of the vehicle and runningilongitudinally =over ithezcrop row,:circumferentially spaced plantcon- "tact'ielementsion the'roller'a'djacent' its'periph'ery, :and :circuit: means -between said source and: said elements charging the latterwith'saidhig'helectrical energy.

6. FA irow :crop' blocking machin'e -compr'is'ing a wehicle adapted to :move along "a crop -row, a source of high electrical 'energy at the vehi'cle, a plantengaging and contact roller trailing from a part of the vehicle and'running longitudinally overzthe .crop row, fcircumferentially spaced plant contact elements 'on the roller adjacent :its ape- ,riphery, and circuit means betweenzsa'id :source and said elements charging ;the;latter with said high electrical energy :said :elements ibeingnross rods. in circumferentially:spacedsets, 'theirodsvof .each set being in"adjacentibutspaced:relatinn.

7. A;machinesas;in;claiml5;inwhichtharoller 5 includes dielectric side discs, and said elements being cross'rods extending between the discs.

8. A machine, as in claim 5, in which the roller includes dielectric side discs, and said elements being cross rods extending between the discs in circumferentially spaced sets, the rods of each set being in adjacent but spaced relation.

9. A machine, as in claim 7, including rubber tires on the periphery of each disc.

10. A row crop blocking machine comprising a vehicle adapted to move along a crop row, a source of high electrical energy at the vehicle, a pair of plant engaging and contact rollers trailing from parts of the vehicle in substantially spaced relation in the direction of travel and running longitudinally over the crop row, each roller including a plurality of circumferentially spaced plant contact elements, and circuit means between said source and elements of each roller charging the elements with said high electrical energy.

11. A row crop blocking machine comprising a vehicle adapted to move along a crop row, a plant engaging and contact device connected in drive relation to the vehicle and running on said row, and means to intermittently charge said device with high electrical energy so as to destroy 6 plants then engaged; said device including a metallic roller, the roller being peripherally continuous, and said means being a commutator unit connected to the roller.

NOAL L. McCREIGI-IT.

JOHN H. McCREIGHT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

